Breaking Through
by Dzuljeta
Summary: Reality is not always kind, and dreams are not always pleasant. Ten/Rose
1. Victim of the Mind

**Breaking Through**

**Chapter One: ****Victim of the Mind**

Donna should have known something was out of order the moment the Doctor has suddenly stopped acknowledging her idle chatter, turning eerily quiet. Or should she have got concerned earlier in the day, when he was suddenly fulfilling her every wish without question, even bringing her to this particular dancing club earlier? The alien's eyes were fixed on a human – or at least she looked like one. For God's sake, was he even breathing? Since when was the Time Lord into- She followed his gaze. "She shouldn't even be here," he muttered to himself, tense. If anything, this was simply inconceivable. "Wrong time. Wrong place. Wrong universe..."

The companion's eyes widened in understanding. "Don't even start, Spaceman. She's someone special, isn't she?"

"Well…"

"She _is_."

"Yep," the Doctor saw no reason to negate it. Disagreeing with Donna further might cause trouble, and that was exactly what he was trying to avoid. The alien stiffened, not ready for answering any questions.

"Then why won't you go to her?"

"With some of the things I'd done… I don't deserve her, yeah?"

"Does she think so, too?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"Go and ask, then."

"I can't."

"That's new!" Donna eyed him with playful disbelief in her eyes.

"Get out of my sight," he growled. "You're not helping."

The ginger rolled her eyes at him, knowing full well he did not mean what he said. Not with the longing look in his eyes. "Was she a companion of yours?"

He nodded, visibly unwilling to talk about it. However, Donna was not going to stop, choosing the question that was undoubtedly going to get some reaction - or information - out of him.

"The last question. What about Rose? Was this youngster before or after her?"

The Doctor's eyes were burning. For a second it seemed he was going to slap her. "Companion or not... it's none of your business," he hissed. "My life… _Rose_ is none of your business. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

"Fine," he snarled.

Donna was shocked at the way his hands were trembling. Was that stress, fatigue, or anger, she couldn't say. But the way his eyes kept following the blonde spoke tomes to her. There was no way he was going to escape facing the mysterious girl, not while she was with him. And she was _not_ giving him an alternative this time. "Would you want me to accompany you, just for until she notices you?"

The Gallifreyan looked at her uncomprehendingly for a moment – it seemed he had forgotten Donna was there. "Yeah, sure."

"Yes. Let's go to her, then."

* * *

_None of this is real. None of this is real_, Rose kept repeating in her mind, refusing to acknowledge the very real, very wet, and very salty tears now flowing down her face. It was one of _those_ dreams. She was feeling strangely cold. Must have been the effect of the ice-cream she was talked into having earlier today… or was it yesterday? Although it could not be. Maybe it was the wind. Mum must have left the window ajar. A small part of her mind reminded Rose she was not living with Mum anymore.

"Just a dream," she kept whispering to herself. "None of-" she sobbed, assured this was but one of the very frequent and extremely detailed dreams that was soon, as was the rule with her dreams, going to become a nightmare.

"None of this is real!" she cried. "It cannot be. Cannot," she whimpered, allowing the dream to take its usual course. As always, the Doctor was coming towards her… Just a second, and he will approach, showing her his true face._ Its_ true face. Sometimes, if she was being unusually lucky, the face would not transform, and he would lean it to kiss her… But this never happened. Instead, she would find herself separated from him. Again.

Rose was unpleasantly surprised, clearly feeling someone watching her. But, as dreams went… This had to be her mind toying with her. Nothing else. The worst thing that could happen was her waking up screaming.

"I'm sorry," Donna wasn't wasting time. "This guy right here wants to talk to you." She seemed to have missed the fact Rose's face was red from tears. But this could have been the effect of the lightning.

"If it's about dancing, I won't- I don't-" the blonde was not surprised about someone not daring to ask her openly – this world – every world - was full of men or boys too shy to ask a girl for a dance.

She was startled by a very familiar voice the following moment. "Really, though? You were all for dancing the last time I saw you…"

Rose had to find something to hold on to. Donna was the closest. "I never thought he'd have this kind of effect on anyone," the redhead smirked.

There. There he was. Rose's Doctor, watching her incredulously, his eyes wide and shining with wonder that looked so much like_ love_.

The blonde backed away. "You are but an illusion. A creation of my mind…" _None of this is real_, the phrase was running through her mind like a broken record.

"Sorry," the Tyler girl muttered, her eyes tearing up once again almost immediately, as soon as she faced the Time Lord – or as much of the Doctor as dreams could give her. "Why can't these dreams last? You will be gone, just like the last time, and the time before, and-" she bit her lip fiercely, unpleasantly surprised about the amount of pain this caused her.

Donna Noble said nothing, holding the girl's hand assuringly. The Doctor and the blonde must have been very good friends once, judging from their faces. Shock on his, sorrow on hers.

"This is not a dream, Rose."

_Ah._ _Oh, my God. _How could she have been so stupid? The ginger woman was grateful she did not give in to the first reflex to let go.

"Isn't it?" It was obvious she did not trust him.

"Nope. Not a dream," the Doctor assured her, touching her arm softly. The cool sensation was not enough to assure her.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe _me_, then," Donna winked at her. "The Doctor asked of me to accompany him up until you see him… but in no way am I leaving now I see you still think it's not real. I know just the thing." Poor girl seemed overtaken by some strange idea she was dreaming. The ginger companion was ready to let go of the blonde's hand and slap some sense into her. Always worked…

Then, she realised. There was always a less drastic way to arrange it… Particularly now that they were so close to each other. Or was he just as dazed as the young woman seemed to be? Were they in need of encouragement?

"Stupid alien. _Kiss_ her," Donna hissed into his ear, never letting go of Rose's hand.

"Er… Donna… I doubt a kiss would convince her." Of course it wouldn't, their only proper kiss being-

However, before he as much as thought of it, Rose broke away and started to run. Away from the illusion. She was a reasonable person. She could distinguish an illusion or a dream from reality! This was not, could not be-

"Are they causing you trouble, miss?" she was stopped in the middle of the hall.

Rose froze. "I don't- don't think so. It's just-"

"Do you know them? I could always call security! A guard standing by the door was prepared to help this young woman, _possibly under the influence, poor thing_.

The blonde shook her head. "No need, thank you. I'm leaving," she spoke firmly, believing the illusion would evaporate the moment she found herself out of the somewhat stuffy room, possibly in a completely different place.

"Are you sure you need no help, miss?"

"No, thanks. I will find my way out."

She could not help a glance back, pale as a sheet of paper, barely able to keep her balance. "Are you all right, miss? Is there a person we could call to bring you home?"

"She's with us," Donna came towards her, the Doctor following the ginger companion close, too stunned to word his thoughts clearly.

* * *

_A/N. Reviews would be lovely. :)_


	2. The Journey

**Previously...**

She could not help a glance back, pale as a sheet of paper, barely able to keep her balance. "Are you all right, miss? Is there a person we could call to bring you home?"

"She's with us," Donna came towards her, the Doctor following the ginger companion close, too stunned to word his thoughts clearly.

* * *

**Chapter Two: ****The Journey**

The man looked over Donna and the Doctor incredulously, addressing Rose. "Do you know them?"

She but glanced at the two in question. "Of course… of course I do," she plastered a smile on her face, hoping the dim light was sufficient to mask her real emotions. "You don't need to worry, sir," Rose hurried to assure the man.

"Come, Doctor… Rose," the ginger companion was sure to hold the blonde firmly enough not to allow her to run away this time. She was almost determined to grab the Doctor by the hand as well, if necessary… It seemed she was the only reasonable one left. For how long? Donna grimaced inwardly.

"Where have you parked the TARDIS?" This has very likely been one of the darkest – literally – nights in Donna Noble's entire life, and she was beginning to feel fearful. Her two companions were a still unnaturally quiet Time Lord and a _very_ perturbed human girl, who might possibly still be thinking she was only dreaming… This did nothing to take the unwelcome unease away.

"_I_ can lead you to her," Rose said, breaking the silence. Her assurance surprised Donna greatly, but the very fact she spoke has made the ginger sigh in relief.

"You can see in the dark better than most of us, then," the ginger spoke with a smile.

"I can _hear_ her," Rose clarified. And see much better than an ordinary human. Just like a _wolf_, some part of her mind suggested. But this was understandable, it being her dream!

The more recent companion could barely see in this dark, which should at least have improved her hearing somewhat – but no. Not a sound. _Oh, well. _Maybe Rose _was_ special.

The first thing to do now was to somehow snap the blonde out of the illusion…

"Would you please do me and yourself a favour, Doctor?" she hissed.

"And what kind of favour may that be?" the Time Lord asked her carefully, his eyes always fixed on Rose.

"What do you think, Spaceman?"

"Who do you take me for? A psychic?"

The blonde breathed out with a smirk. "This is not that far from the truth, I think. Doctor."

Donna shook her head incredulously. "What about you two just kiss and make everything clear again? Would it be enough to make you understand this is not a dream, Rose?"

"I don't think I could do any of this to you," the Doctor muttered. He was afraid his fair-haired companion would not approve of it… Kissing her seemed like a very unlikely decision to make. What _he_ wanted did not matter, if it meant Rose was going to be upset with him.

Rose did not dare to reply to the woman's question. This dream had taken some unexpected turns already, but this last line sounded painfully familiar. He couldn't- why exactly? What exactly?

"Rose..." the Doctor's soft voice startled her, and she stopped abruptly, forcing Donna to come to a halt as well. "Your lip is still bleeding," he noted, a worried expression on his face. The girl run her tongue over her lips without thinking, not surprised she could indeed feel the taste of iron on her cracked lips. But nothing could be more important than the concerned face in front of her… The Doctor was _staring_ at her, which the blonde could feel rather than see, her eyes looking anywhere but at him.

The girl was suddenly thankful for the darkness surrounding them.

"Rose," the Time Lord repeated, his voice just as soft, but barely audible this time. "Allow me to fix this," 'he leaned in... but _not_ to kiss her, taking his sonic screwdriver out of his almost-bottomless jacket pocket instead. "Don't move, Rose."

It was done in seconds, and the Doctor smiled at the blonde encouragingly. "There we are."

"Is this _all_?" Donna glared at the Time Lord, once again resuming their journey towards the Doctor's ship, her hand holding Rose's firmly, just in case she would try running away again.

"My lip's healed, if this is what worries you-" Rose remembered she did not even know the other woman's name.

"Donna's the name. Donna Noble," the woman smiled, glad the blonde did not give her any questions. "Now that we _know_ each other," Donna winked at her, "there is only one little thing left to deal with. This Time Lord of yours has to-"

"The magic of a kiss? How very _Disney_," Rose rolled her eyes, directing her attention towards the Doctor. "Even if it worked, you _wouldn't_ do it, not to _me_, not even in a dream?" The red-haired companion could swear she heard bitterness in the girl's voice.

The alien bit his tongue, saying nothing, yet never taking his eyes off her. If this_ had_ to be done, _fine_. He was not fooling himself. Kissing her, finally, properly, had been a frequent part of his dreams almost whenever he actually allowed himself to sleep. In fact, he was _hoping_ for this outcome.

Donna was getting windy already. "Rose, what is it that would make you believe this is all completely real?" Or would she have to slap her, after all?

Rose shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"Oh. I know! I know! The TARDIS!" Donna grinned at them excitedly.

"Er. Yes. But we need to reach it first," the Doctor muttered something in Gallifreyan.

Rose burst out laughing. "You _never_ say this, unless- unless-" _Unless the TARDIS is near, yet not close enough to hear you to use such _expressions_._

That was when the much-missed ship's singing reached her mind. Reached _her_. Rose's face lost all colour, as the TARDIS is now visible in the distance. She stopped abruptly. No dream of hers was _ever_ so detailed. So realistic. The feeling, the warmth, the welcoming sensation… She blinked, feeling tears welling up in her eyes once again.

"There, Rose. The Doctor and me, we'll lead you to the ship," Donna assured the girl, starting to take slow steps towards it. Rose did not object, fixing her attention on breathing steadily instead.

The Time Lord stopped them. "You still don't understand, Donna," he freed Rose's hand from the other companion's grasp, taking it in his instead.

"Do you still think this is but a dream, Rose?" the Doctor worded the question carefully, even though he knew the unpleasant answer already.

"Yes. This has to be." _Nothing but a very realistic-_

"Forgive me for this, then, Rose," he glued his eyes to hers, expecting for her to struggle and try to run away, but she did none of that, rather interested where this unexpected… incredible experience was going to lead her.

"This isn't fair," the Doctor began kissing the fair-haired companion's neck slowly. "When we finally see each other again... you, Rose Tyler, manage to _hurt_ yourself. This is very, _very _unfair." He was holding her firmly in his arms.

"Shouldn't the kiss be, you know – on the lips?" Donna inquired.

"Too _Disney_," he breathed in the blonde's neck.

"But isn't this how it's supposed to work? Besides, you _have_ healed her, yes?"

The Doctor moved away slightly. "Yes, but-"

"You either don't want to do it or are waiting for my explicit permission," Rose whispered.

"Would you grant it?" Donna was watching the scene with interest.

"Yes," she breathed out. "After all, a dream is-"

"You have no idea what you're talking about, my Rose," the Time Lord touched her lower lip softly and smiled. _Snogging_ a vision out of the woman of your dreams was by far _not_ the worst-case scenario...

* * *

_A/N. Reviews make me happy! :)_


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